Grid winding machine



1933- w. DALHEIMER GRID WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 29, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WALTHER DALHEIMER my AT ORNEY Nov. 7, 1933. w. DALHEIMER GRID WINDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 29. 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WALTHER DALHEIMER RNEY W. DALHElM-ER GRID WINDING. MACHINE Filed 001;. 29. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR WALTHER DALHElMER jM (MM AT RNEY.

Patented Nov. 7, 1933 unites} si? 1,933,971 GRID WINDING MACHINE Walther Dalheimer, Eindhoven, Netherlands, assignor to Radio Corporation of America, New York, N, Y., a corporation of New York Application otober'29, 1926, Serial No. 144,979,

and inthe Netherlands December 16,1925

35 Claims. (Cl. 140 -71) The present invention relates to machines for winding coils of wire having one or more longitudinal wires or rods which serve to support the coil or to impart to it a certain position or shape.

5 Such a supporting wire, in contradistinction to a mandrel, or mandrel wire,.is not entirely in contact with the inner surface of the Wire to be coiled,

but isionly in contact with it over a certain part of that inner surface.

Machines for winding coils of wire around longitudinal. supporting Wires are already known; in. such machines the supporting wires are laid upon a suitable template or support, and the wire is' coiled around the supporting wire while the template is rotated. However, in such machines the wire is coiled on supporting wires of a definite length, for it is not practical to rotate the template carrying a wire which is, practically speaking, fed for an indefinite length from a spool or bobbin.

The objectof the present invention is to provide a machine which allows coils of wire to be wound of any length whatever. With this object in view, the improved machine, according to the invention, has a mechanism for continuously feeding forward the supporting wires, and a device for winding the wire to be coiled around the supporting wires. In other words, in contradistinction to the known machines in which, as already mentioned, the wire to be coiled is wound on to supporting wires while the template is rotated, the template is not rotated but a winding head winds the wire to be coiled around the supporting wire or supporting wires which are guided in their travel by means of the template.-

This new principle allows the mechanisms for feeding the supporting wires to be fixed, with the result that the construction of the entire machine is much simplified. As already mentioned, the supporting wire may serve to impart to the coil a certain position or shape. It is desirable, however, that the supporting wires shall keep different turns of the coil correctly spaced apart, and for this purpose the supporting wires are notched at uniform distances, the wire to be coiled is laid in the notches, and then the notch is closed up imprisoning the wire therein. The notching and the closing up may be effected by a notching roller and by notch closing roller which may conveniently be mounted in therotating winding head in an adjustable manner so as to enable correct notching and closing or peening to be effected for supporting wires 'withdifierent spacing, and for coils of different pitch.

Although the present invention enables a coil of predetermined shape and of practically indefini'telength to be wound in one piece,.usually in practice such a coil is used after being cut up into sections of a predetermined length. It is convenient to allow for the formation, between consecutive lengths of coils, of'portions which can be readily released from the supporting wires; for example in winding grids forthermionic valves 1 each length of the coil is made suitable to serve as a single grid, and it is desirable to utilize portions of the support wire between the sections. as leading-in conductors to the grids. According to the present invention this may be effected by arranging that between successive sections or" the coil one. or more turns of the wire are laid in notches in the supporting Wires, but are not sealed into them'by closing. up the notches. After winding the coil it may be passed on to the periphery of a drawing drum, and supported on that drum at points corresponding to the portions which are not permanently secured to the supporting wires. When the finished coil leaves the drawingdrum it may be cut at the points of those portions released from the supporting. wires so that the sections come out from the machine practically as finished grids with loose. ends.

It is convenient to clamp the finished coil on thesaid drawing drum at intervals, and for this used to keep the grippers *closed" during their travel with-the periphery of the drum along a path corresponding to rather less than half the circumference of the'drum, and then the grippers are automatically released and allow the coil to pass off from the drum.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, one form of machine for winding coils in accordance with the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine shown partly in section, but not showing the mechanism for interrupting the peening or notch closing action;

Figure 2 is a section taken on of Figure 1;

Figure'il is an end elevation of the machine;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the winding head seen from the right of Figure 1;-

. the line II--II to be coiled 70 Figure 5 is a view line V-V of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a view to an enlarged scale showing the template used for guiding the supporting wires;

Figure 7 is a view showing the mechanism for interrupting the notch closing action, while Figures 8 and 9 show diagrammatically'the way in which finished coils are gripped by the drawing drum.

Referring first of all to Figures 1, 2 and 3, a pulley 1 is mounted to rotate on a hollow spindle 2 carried on a standard or bracket 3. The supporting wires or rods 4, 5 of the grid are led from spools 6, '7 over guide sheaves6,.7 through the spindle 2 over a mandrel or template 8 through the centre of the winding head 9, on the end of the pulley 1, and finally over a drawing drum 10. The pulley 1 may be driven by means of belting from any source of power, and the drawing drum 10 is connected to the pulley 1 by means of gearing so that it rotates with the pulley. This gearing consists of a gear 11 co-axial with the pulley 1, and meshing with further gears 12, 13 the gear 13 being fixed on a shaft 14 rotating in bearings in a worm housing'15. The shaft 14 through a worm l6 and worm gear, 17 rotates the shaft 18 carrying the drawing drum 10.

The template or mandrel 8 is rigidly mounted in the fixed hollow spindle 2 and is formed as a body of metal having grooves on its axially dipartly in section on the rected faces to receive the supportingwires 4.

and-5. The wire 19, which may be the grid wire to be coiled around the supporting wires, is fed from a holder or bobbin 20 which rotates with the pulley 1, and is fixed to thewinding head 9, as shown in Fig. 1 by supports 64'and 65. The wire from the bobbin 20 is, as best shown 'in Fig. 4 led over a resiliently mounted guide 21,

and helically wrapped around the supporting wires 4 and 5 on the mandrel. The guide 21 is carried on the winding head 9 which, as it is secured to the pulley 1, rotates with it around the spindle 2 on ball bearings 22. The winding head 9 carries a notching disc or roller 23, mounted on a spindle 24, and also a rolling-over disc 25, the purpose of which is to make in the supporting wires 4 and 5 transverse notches which are closed by the peening or notch closing roller 25 after the coil or grid wire 19 has been laid in these notches. The notching roller 23 and the notch closing roller disc 25 are both so mounted on the winding head 9 that coils of different shape and pitch can be made. If it is desired to alter the shape of the coil, that is to say, if a diilerent shaped mandrel or template adapted to space the supporting wires nearer together or further apart, is used the notching disc 23 must be adjusted radially and this is done by means of a set screw 26 which slides in a slot 27 in the bracket which carries the roller. The notch closing roller 25 is carried on a bell crank 28 pivoted on the winding head at 29.

-One end of this bell crank is attached to a-spring 30 which tends to keep the notch closing roller in operative relation to and in engagement with the supporting wires. The other arm of the bell crank 28 carries a cam roller 31 by means of which the notch closing roller may be rendered inoperative at will, as will be described later.

In order to make coils of different pitch, the notch closing roller 25 must be made adjustable longitudinally of the supporting wires relatively to the notching roller 23, as, for example by means of thin washers 32. The reason for this adjustment is that in the interval between the notching operation and the notch closing operation the winding head has turned through 180, and in that time, therefore, the supporting wires have moved through a distance equal to half the distance between adjacent turns of the coil. In order to alter the pitch the drawing drum 10 is rotated at a different speed, and this may be done by an alteration in the gear ratio of the gear train 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17.

The supporting wires or support rods 4, 5 embraced by the coil or grid wire 19 which is wound around them, then pass into a trough formed on the periphery of the drawing drum 10, by flanges 33, 34. Around the periphery of this drum are mounted four pairs of grippers or jaws 35. Each pair of grippers 35 consists of, as is seen in Figure 2, a pair of crank ,levers 36 mounted on opposite sides of the drawing drum 10, and pivoted on pins 37 carried in laterally extending ears. The short arms 38 of these crank levers 36 constitute movable jaws adapted to'grip the supporting wires 4, 5 carrying the coil when the long arms of the crank levers 36 are pressed outwardly by a cam track 39. Cooperating with the movable'jaws 38, there are for each pair of these movable jaws a pair of pins or stationary jaws 40 which protrude from the periphery of the drawing drum 10. laterally apart the same distance as the supporting wires 4 and 5, so that the movable jaws 38 grip the supporting wires 4 and 5 to the outer ends of the stationary jaws or pins 40.

For clearness of description, Figures 8 and 9 illustrate diagrammatically the drawing drum 10 in successive positions, the points A, B, C and D representing the relative positions of the four sets of grippers 35. It will be suflicient in connection with these figures to trace the operation of one set of grippers during a complete revolution of the drum. Just after leaving the point A in Figure 8, the Wires are gripped by the grippers at the point A in Figure 9, and they continue to be gripped for approximately half the circumferential travel of the grippers until just prior toreaching'the point C in Figure 8. When the grippers reach the point C in Figure 9, the wires are actually released permitting the supporting wires and the coil wound thereon to leave the drum.

In order to avoid distortion of the supporting wires 4 and 5 carrying the helical coil by bending around the periphery of the drawing drum and when the coil leaves the drawing drum it can,

consequently, be cut at the angles of the regular polygon into grids of the desired length. For a similar reason it is of no consequence if the coil is crushed by the grippers.

In order to attain this result, additional pegs I 41 are fixed in and uniformly spaced along the periphery of the drawing drum 10 between the grippers 35. These additional pegs 41 are also arranged in pairs spaced laterally apart the same distance as the spacing of the supporting wires 4 and 5', the latter being prevented fromslipping-off the pegs by the side flanges 33, 34; The contour of the cam track: 39 should be suchthat the grippers 35 are-closed in the gripping position 1 just beyond the point A in Figures 8 and 9 and;

remain closed until the release position, just be fore they reach the pointC when they are allowed to openunder the influenceof the springs 42; For this purpose the cam track 39, asseen in Figure 2; is raised along its portioncorre sponding to the path of travel of the closed gripperson the drawing drum 10, extending substan'- tially from the point A through the point B-to' the point C in Figures 8 and 9, while the portion corresponding to thepath of travel of the open grippersv from the point C through the point D'to the point A iscut away or formed at a lower level.

'With a machine, for example, such as is used for winding grids for thermionic valves, it is necessary, after a grid of a certain number of turns, has been made, to provide a grid end por-- tion which may be straightened out so that the wound coil may be cut at the middle of these end portions, and thus formed into a number of grids. The end portions may then be straightened and joined to the grid leading-in wires of the finished valve. It is necessary, therefore, to provide amechanism by means of which the notch closing. roller 25 istemporarily put out of action, so that although the grid wire may lie in the notches formed by the notching roller 23 yet since the roller 25. has not come into con tact with the support rod, the grid wire for a distance of one or more turns may be removed" from the notches in the supporting wires and straightened.

Thismecham'sm is illustrated in Figure '7. A cam 43-carrying two risers 44 is mounted on the shaft. 18, and actuates an arm 45 pivoted at 46,

and provided with a contact 4'7. Hinged-to the free end'of this arm is a rod 48, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a lug 49 or" a 1 sleeve 50 which is mounted to slide along a fixed rod.5l. This fixed rod 51 is carried on a frame .52 in lugsx53, 54 and a spring-55 serves normally to press the sleeve 50 away from the lug 54, within the limit of. movement of. the arm 45. When,

however, the risers 44 come into contact with:

side'of the machine as seen in Figure 2, bothsleeves beingfixed to the ring 56.

The ring. 56 is formed internally with an in clined edge or cam surface'fil (Figure 5). Nor-- mally the. roller 31 carried on the end of the bell crank 28, bears against the cam surface 61 as indicated in the full line position in Figure 4. When, however, the ring. is displaced toward the right (Figures 2'and 7) by reason of the engagement of the riser 44 with the contact 47 of the arm 45, the inclined edge'or cam surface 61 rides over the roller 31 until the internal surface of ring 56 contacts with said roller as shown in Figure 5. This cam action between the ring and roller tends to turn the bell crank 28 through a slight angle in opposition to the coiled spring 30 to the broken line position shown in Figure 4. This movement ofthe bell crank 28 brings'the notch closing roller 25 out of engagement with the supporting; wires 4, 5; When the riser 44- coiling or gridwire firmly in position on and suitable" adjustments are made. In order to comes-out of contactwith the arm 45 the spring.

30. turns-the bell crank back until its. extension 62, encounters a stop 63, which rnay be adjustable and; by mean sof which the pressure of the notch closing roller 25 on the supporting wires pro-- duced by-thespringBO may be regulated.

The operation is as followsz.

The supporting wires or rods from the spools l 6 and"? are led to the mandrel or template 8 1 Y which extends out a little from the spindle 2; Fromthe template they pass over the periphery of the drawing. drum 10. The notching roller 23 and not-ch closing roller 25 are soadjusted onthe winding head Q that when the latter ro tates they are brought into contact with each supporting wire once in every revolution. The notching roller 23 cuts a small notch inthe supporting wire 19, and the wire to be'coiled" is so guided that it is laid across the support wire and in this notch; When the winding head has turned through 180 each notch, now

containing its coiling or grid wire, is brought against' the notch closing roller which serves to close 'orseal up the notch and so the embedded in the supporting wires. When the cam' mechanism 44 and 45' is brought into action the notch closing roller 25 is temporarily retracted froznthe position in which it contacts with the supporting wires, and while the supporting wires 4, 5 are notched, andthe coiling or grid wire 19 lodged in the notches, these notches are'not. closed. The result of' this is that while the coiling wire is held inposition during the actual passage through the machine of the coils, yet when each separate grid is cut aiter' beingreleased by the grippers from the drawing drum,'a short length of support wire free from the grid wire'is left at the end of each'grid coil, and this serves for attachment to the gridleading-in supportsof the finished valve. i

It has already been indicated that the machine will' wind coils of different dimensions it make this quite clear assume that the machine is set for winding coils of a given pitch'and';

width. Then if it-is desired to make a wider" coil, a wider mandrel or template is inserted and the notchi'ng roller 23 isadjusted' by means of the set screw 26 in the slot 27'. The pressure exerted by the notch closing roller 25, however, is due merely to the action of the spring '30 which will simply be stretched a little further. Again,-

if it is desired to wind a coil of coarser pitch,

the gear ratio of the gear train 11, 12,13, l4, l5, l5. and 1'? is altered so that the drawing drum will rotate faster, and thenotch closing roller 25 is correspondingly adjusted relatively tothe notching roller 23 in the direction of movement or" the supporting wires 4, 5 by the insertion of thicker washers 32. p

What I claim is: 1

1. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting. member, comprising a roller for notching said supporting member, means to-inser t-the coil wire in the notch formed, a second roller for closing the notch, securing the coil wire therein, and a drawing drum for feeding said supporting member to the rollers.

2. A machine'for forming wire coils upon at. least one supporting member, comprising a roll' er for notching the supporting member, a winding bobbin for winding the coil wire in the notch and about said supporting membeigza rollerfor closing said notch; a pivoted frame upon which said closing roller is mounted, a cam engaging a portion of said frame rendering the closing roller inoperative during predetermined intervals in the winding of the coil, and a drawing drum forfeeding the supporting member.

3. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising a roller for notching the supporting member, a winding bobbin for winding the coil wire in the notch and about said supporting member, a roller for closing said notch, a pivoted frame upon which said closing roller is mounted, a cam engaging a portion of said frame rendering the closing roller inoperative during predetermined intervals in thewinding of the coil, said cam being normally out of engagement with the pivoted frame, a slide upon which said cam is mounted to guide it into engagement with the pivoted frame, a second cam adapted to slide said first cam into operative position, and a drawing drum for feeding the supporting member.

4. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising a stationary template, said template serving as a guide for the supporting member, a frame rotatable about said template, a notching roller mounted upon the rotatable frame for notching thesupporting member, a winding head mounted upon the rotatable frame for winding the coil about the template, said winding head inserting the coil Wire in the notch in the supporting member, a pivoted frame mounted upon said rotatable frame, a closing roller carried by the pivoted frame and normally adapted to close the notch in the supporting member, a slidable cam adapted to engage a portion of the pivoted frame at predetermined intervals to render the closing roller inoperative, and a second cam adapted to slide said slidable cam into engagement with the pivoted frame at predetermined intervals of said rotatable frame.

5. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire'into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, and a plurality of automatic clamps mounted upon said drum adapted to grip and release said supporting member at predetermined intervals in the revolution of the drawing drum.

6. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing'drum for feeding said supporting member,a plurality of clamps mounted upon the drum adapted to grip and release said supporting member at predetermined intervals in the revolution of the drum, and at least one cam controlling the action of the clamps.

7; A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawing drum and positioned uniformly about the circumference upon which the supporting member rests.

8. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, and a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawing drum and positioned uniformly about the circumferenceupon which the supporting member rests, said pins being adapted to be;

spaced as desired about the periphery of said winding drum.

9. A machine for forming wire coils upon at.

least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawing drum and positioned uniformly about the cir-.

cumference upon which the supporting member rests, and a plurality of automatically operated clamps mounted upon said drum and adapted to grip and release the supporting member against the end of the pins.

10. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to Wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawe ing drum and positioned uniformly about the cir cumference upon which the supporting member rests, a plurality of automatically operated clamps mounted upon said drum and adapted to grip and release the supporting'member against the end of the pins, and at least one cam controlling the action of the clamps.

11. A machine for forming Wire coils uponat least one supporting member, comprising means" to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawing drum and positioned uniformly about the circumference upon which the supporting member rests, a plurality of automatically operated clamps mounted upon said drum and adapted to grip and release the supporting member against the end of the pins, said clamps being pivoted members, a clamping jaw at one end of said pivoted member, and a cam engaging the other end of the pivoted clamping member to operate the jaw.

12. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotary drawing drum for feeding 'said supporting member, a-plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawing drum and positioned uniformly about the circumference upon which the supporting member rests, a plurality of automatically operated clamps mounted upon said drum and adapted to grip and release the supporting member against the end of the pins, said clampsv being pivoted members, a clamping jaw at one end of said pivoted member, a cam engaging the other end of the pivoted clamping member, and a spring holding said clamping member in contact with the cam. 13. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supportingmember, comprising means i to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member,a rotary drawing drum for feeding said supporting member, a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said draw ing drum and positioned uniformly about the circumference upon which the supporting member rests, and a pair of flanges adjacent the pins to guide the coils upon the drawing drum.

14. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising means to wind said coil wire into coil form about said supporting member, a rotarydrawing drum for feeding-said supporting member, a plurality of pins extending above the periphery of said drawing drum and positioned. uniformly about the cir-- cumference upon which the: supporting member rests, and a'pair of flanges adjacent the pins to guide the coils upon the drawing drum, and a plurality of automatically operated clamps mounted upon said drum and adapted to grip and release the supporting member against the end of the pins. I

15. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising in. combination a stationary template upon which the coils are wound, a winding head carrying the coil wire rotatable around the supporting member and template, a notching roller rotatable about the template and supporting member, a notch closing roller rotatable about said template and supporting member, a drawing drum adapted to feed the supporting member, and a gear train connecting the winding head with the drawing drum. 7

16. A machine for forming wirecoils upon at least one supporting member, comprising in com-- binati'on a stationary template upon which the coils are wound, said template serving as guides for the supportingimember, a rotatable head surrounding the stationary templataa coil winding head mounted thereon, a notching roller mounted upon said rotatable head, a notch closing roller mounted upon the rotatable head, a drawing drum adapted to feed the supporting member, and automatic clamps mounted upon the drawing drum for-clamping the supporting member.

17. A machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising incombination a stationary template upon which the coils are wound, sa-id template being adapted to be replaced by a template of different size and shape; a winding head :carrying the coil wire, rotatable, around the supporting members and template, a notching roller rotatable about the template and support-ing member, a notch closing roller rotatable about said template and supporting'member, a drawing drum adapted to feed the supporting member, and a gear train connecting 'thewinding head with the drawing drum.

1-8. -A machine for forming wire coils upon at :least' one supporting member, comprising in combination a stationary templateupon which the coils are wound, a winding head carrying the coil wire rotatable around the supporting member and template, a notching roller rotatable about the template and supporting member, adjusting means associated with said-notchi-ng roller to adapt the roller position for varying sized coils, a notch'closing roller rotatable about said template and supporting member, adjusting means associated with said notch closing roller to adapt the roller position for varying sized coils, a drawmg drum adapted to feed the supporting member, and 'a gear train connecting the winding head with the drawing drum. a

1'9. A'machine for forming wire coils upon at least one supporting member, comprising incombination a stationary template upon which the coils are wound, a winding head carrying the coil wire rotatable around the supporting member and template, a notching roller rotatable about the template and supporting member, a notch closing roller rotatable about said template and supporting member, means to change the relative axial position of. the notch closing roller with respect to'the notching roller for changes in the coil pitch, a drawing drum adapted to 'feed the supporting member, and a gear train connecting the winding head with the drawing drum, said gear train being adapted to have the gear ratio changed for varying pitches of coil.

20. In a grid making machine, the combination with a coiling mechanism for winding a wire around a support rod in said mechanism and securing the turns of said wire to the support rod,

of feedmec'nanism comprising a gripper mounted for bodily movement relative to said coiling mechanism from a gripping position adjacent said coiling mechanism and in alignment with a support rod in said coiling mechansm to a release position. more remote from said coiling mechanism, and actuating means driven in synchronism with said coiling mechanism for closing said gripper in said grippingposition, moving said gripper bodilywhile closed to release position, and

opening said gripper at said release position.

521. In. a grid making machine, the combination with a mandrel for guiding a lengthwise movable support rod, and coiling mechanism for winding a wire around a support rod-on-said mandrel and securing the turns of said wire to the support rod, of feed mechanism 7 comprising a gripper mounted for bodily movement relative to said mandrel from a gripping position adjacent said mandrel and inalignment with a support rod on said mandrel to a release position more remote from said mandrel, and actuating means driven synchronism with said coiling mechanism for moving said gripper to said gripping position, and closing said gri per, moving said gripper bodily while closed to release position, and opening said gripper at said release position 22. In a grid making machine, the combination with a'mandrel for guiding a support rod which is movable lengthwise, and coiling mechanism for coiling a wire around a support rod on said mandrel and securing the turns of said wire to; the support rod, of feed mechanism comprising a plurality of grippers, each mounted forbodily, movement relative to said mandrel from a gripping position adjacent said mandrel and in alignment with a support rod on said mandrel to a release position more remote from said mandrel, and actuating means driven in synchronism with said coiling mechanism for causingeach of, "said grippers to periodically and in succession engage a support rod on said mandrel, move bodily to move the support rod lengthwise on said mandrel and then release thesupport rod.

23. In a grid making machine,- the combination with a stationary mandrel for holding a support rod and a coil making mechanism for coiling a wire around and fastening each turn to a support 1 rod on said mandrel, of feed mechanism for drawing a support rod along said mandrel and thru said coiling mechanism comprising a movable feed member, a gripper mounted on-said member to travel along a fixed path and to engage a support rod on the mandrel, and actuating means synchronized with said coil making mechanism for moving said feed member to cause said gripper at one point in its travel to close upon the support rod, to retreat from said mandrelalong a fixedpath, and to openat another point in its travel.

24. In agrid making machine, the combination with a stationary mandrel for holding a support rod, and a coil making mechanism comprising a notching device, a wire holder, and a notch closing device all mounted to move bodily around said mandrel in sequence tocoil a wire from said holder around and fasten each turn of the coil to said support rod, of feed mechanism for moving a support rod on said mandrel lengthwise and thru saidtcoil making mechanism comprising a movable feed member, a gripper mounted on said member to engage a support rod on said mandrel, and actuating means for said feed membercontrolled by said coil making mechanism to close said gripper upon the support rod and move said gripper bodily away from said mandrel while said gripper is closed and during the operation of said coiling mechanism.

25. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for holding a support rod, of wire shaping mechanism comprising anotching device, a Wire holder and a notch closing device, and operating mechanism for moving saiddevices and said holder bodily and in se quence transversely of said mandrel and in operative relation to a support-rod on said mandrel to make a transverse notch in the support rod, place a wire from said holder across the support in the notch, and close the notch upon said wire,

26. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable'mandrel for holding a support rod, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a head movable'transversely of said mandrel, a notching device mounted on said head and operative as it passes a support rod held on said mandrelto make a transverse notch in the support rod, and a wire holder and a notch closing device both mounted on said head to follow said notching device past the support rod in sequence, and means for moving said head to make a notch in the support rod on said mandrel, place a wire in the notch in the support rod, and then close said notch upon the wire. e

27. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a support rod, and feed mechanism for moving the support rod lengthwise, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a notching device, a wire holder, and a notch closing device, all mounted to move bodily and transversely of said mandrel and in operative relation to a support rod on said mandrel, and operating means'synchronized with said feed mechanism to move said devices and said holder in sequence during the movement lengthwise of a support rod on said mandrel, and thereby place spaced points on a wire from said holder across the support rod at spaced points on thesupport rod and embed the wire in the support rodat said points.

28. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guidinga support rod, and feed mechanism for moving the support rod lengthwise, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a wire holder mounted to rotate about said mandrel and wind a wire over a support rod on the mandrel, a notching device and a wire fastening device mounted to move transversely of said mandrel and into operative relation to a support rod on said mandrel, and operating means for rotating said wire holder and i moving said devices in sequence to notch the support rod, wind a wire from said holder over the support rod in the notch in the support rod, and fasten the wire to the support rod.

29. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a support rod, and feed mechanism for moving the support rod lengthwise, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a wire holder rotatable about said mandrel, a notching device and a notch closing device mounted to move-relative to said mandrel and into operative relation to. a support rod on said mandrel, and operating means synchronized with said feed mechanism to rotate said wire holder and move said devices during the movement lengthwise of a'support rod on said 1.

mandrel andlthereby embed spaced portions of a wire from said holder in a support rod on said mandrel at spaced points on the support rod;

30. In a grid making machine, the combination with a stationary mandrel for holding a support rod, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a wire holder rotatable about said mandrel, a notching device, and a wire fastening device, and operating mechanism for rotating said wire holder about said mandrel and simultaneously moving said devices transversely of said mandrel into and out of operative relation to a support rod on said mandrel to make a transverse notch inthe support rod, place a wire'from said holder across the support in the notch, and fasten the wire in the notch to the support rod.

31. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a support rod, and feed mechanism for feeding a support rod lengthwise along said mandrel, of wire shaping mechanismcomprising a head rotatable about said mandrel," a wire holder mounted on said head,'a notching device and a notch closing devicemounted to move transversely of said mandrel into operative relation to a support rod on said mandrel, and operating mechanism synchronized withsaid feed mechanism for moving asupport rod on said mandrel lengthwise, rotating said head, and actuating said devices to maketransverse notches in said support rod with predetermined spacing, wind a wire from said holder over said rod and-in the notches, and close the notches upon the wire;

32. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a support rod, and feed mechanism for moving the support rod lengthwise, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a notching device, a wire holder and a notch closing device all mounted to move bodily and transversely of said mandrel and in operative relation to the'support rod on said mandrel, operating means for moving said devices and said holder in sequence to notch a support rod on said mandrel, place a wire from said holder across and embed it in the support rod, and means for at will displacing one of said devices relative tosaid'mandreI to render said device inoperative on the support rod on the mandreh 33. In a grid makingmachine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a support rod, and feed mechanism for feeding a support rod lengthwise along said mandreLof wire shaping mechanism comprising a head rotatable about said mandrel, a notching roller, a wire holder, and a notch closingroller all mounted on said head to pass in sequence and transversely of a support rod on said mandrel as said head is rotated and thereby transversely notch the support rod, place a wire from said holder overthe support rod and inthe notch in thejrod, and close the notch upon the wire, said notch closing roller being mounted to be moved at will radially of said head, meansfor rotating said head and actuating said feed mechanism in synchronism, and meansfor at will moving said notch closing roller radially of said head and away from said mandrel to render said notch closing roller inoperative.

34. In a grid making machine, the combine- CTl tion with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a supportrod, and feed mechanism for feeding a support rod lengthwise along said mandrel,

of wire shaping mechanism comprising a head rotatable about said mandrel, a notching roller,

a wire holder, and a notch closing roller all on said head, means for rotating said head and actuating said feed mechanism in synchronism, and means for at will moving said roller on said head to increase its distance from said mandrel and thereby render it inoperative.

35. In a grid making machine, the combination with a non-rotatable mandrel for guiding a support rod, and feed mechanism for feeding a support rod lengthwise along said mandrel, of wire shaping mechanism comprising a head rotatable about said mandrel, a notching roller, a wire holder, and a notch closing roller all mounted on said head to pass in sequence and transverselyof a support rod on said mandrel,

as said head is rotated and thereby transversely notch the support rod, place a wire from said holder over the support rod and in the notch in the rod, and close the notch upon the wire,

said notch closing roller being mounted to'be moved at will radially of said head, means for rotating said head and actuating said feed mechanism in synchronism, holding means for yieldingly maintaining said notch closing roller in operative position, and control means for at will rendering said notch closing roller inoperative.

WALTHER DALHEIMER.

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